That would be good to hear.
Sure, I'm always open to ideas with a basis in Scripture.
Ok, I’m preterist so I know we are not going to agree on when the seals are opened but if we put that difference aside maybe we can agree on some of the finer points.
I’ll start off with something I think we will all agree on, the 4 beasts are full of eyes and in the midst of the throne and round about the throne (
Revelation 4:6).
2 Chronicles 16:9 states the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth. Based on these two verses it follows that the 4 beasts have the ability to walk to and fro on the earth due to their eyes.
In
Zechariah 6:1-7 there are 4 chariots with different colored horses. The question is asked what are these. The answer in verse 5 is the 4 spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. In verse 7 they walk to and fro through the earth. In
Zechariah 1:8-11 there is a man riding a red horse and behind him are red, speckled, and white horses. They are said to be those whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.
In
Revelation 5:8 the 4 beasts fall down and worship the Lamb. This indicates that they are not Christ himself but there would seem to be a connection to Christ based on the four faces of the beasts which leads to the idea of them going to and fro on earth while Jesus was physically on earth.
1st seal:
Revelation 6:1-2
The first beast which is like a lion says come and see after the Lamb opens the seal. The Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David (Revelation 5:6), I believe is referring to the linage of Christ and so I place this event at His birth.
The bow the rider on the white horse has would then be a rainbow similar to
Ezekiel 1:28. This bow or appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord is seen at the time of Christ’s birth in
Luke2:9 when the glory of the Lord shone round about the shepherds in the field. In
Luke 1:32 the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. This is the crown given him. The color white is associated with purity, our sins being removed or covered. Believers are given white robes and shall be whiter than snow.
2nd seal:
Revelation 6:3-4
The second beast is like a calf and the rider on the red horse is given power to take peace from the earth, that they should kill one another, and is given a great sword.
I already showed in the previous post that I believe the red heifer is a type of Christ, which I think is why this horse is colored red.
In Luke 12:51-53 Jesus says Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division. Matthew 10:34 Jesus came not to send peace but a sword.
Peace had to be taken so they would kill one another, because despite the law forbidding the taking of the life of an innocent man they would have to commit this very act.
3rd seal:
Revelation 6:5-6
The third beast had a face like a man and the rider on the black horse has a pair of balances.
I don’t think this seal has anything to do with famine, I’ll make a separate post to specifically address the problems with associating this with famine.
When the statement “a measure of wheat for a penny and 3 measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine” is heard, it is the wheat and barley that are put on the balance and determined to have a cost of 1 penny.
The wheat can certainly be viewed as believers as in
Matthew 13:30 at the time of harvest the wheat is gathered into his barn but the tares are burned. In
Acts 20:28 it states feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood. Since believers are purchased they will not have to bear that cost.
The spiritual meaning of barley, I believe, is sin and specifically sin that is remembered before God. In
Numbers 5:15, concerning a jealous husband, it states “then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance”. The offering of barley meal brings into remembrance iniquity.
In
Hebrews 1:9 Christ is anointed by God with the oil of gladness. In
Acts10:38God anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost and with power. Oil can certainly be synonymous with the Holy Spirit.
In
Revelation 14:10 those who worship the beast will drink of the wine of the wrath of God.
Jesus prays in
Luke 22:42 Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. We know from
Isaiah 53:5 that Christ was wounded for our transgressions. We also know that after he was baptized the Spirit of God descended upon him (
Matthew 3:16). When Jesus cried out my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me; the Holy Spirit is no longer with him at that time. The Holy Spirit is not hurt or wounded with Jesus. The cup or price that must be paid for the wheat is asked to be removed. I see the answer to Jesus’s prayer in Luke 22:42 as being the voice that is heard in Revelation 6:6, which would be that he must die alone, to purchase the wheat, without the Holy Spirt (oil not being hurt) and the wrath of God must still take place (wine not being hurt) on the barley.
The horse is colored black which represents the sin that Christ became for us.
4th seal:
Revelation 6:7-8
The fourth beast was like a flying eagle and the rider on the green horse has the name Death and Hell followed with him.
In
2 Corinthians 5:21 Christ became sin for us and in
Romans 6:23 the wages of sin is death. In
1 Corinthians 15:55 “O death where is thy sting? O grave (hell Strong’s #86), where is thy victory? ”. Hell follows with death in that they are both conquered or overcome by Christ.
And power was given them over the fourth part of the earth to kill with the sword, hunger, death, and the beasts of the earth.
In
Matthew 10:28 we are told to not fear them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul. Believers certainly aren’t the ones doing the killing, and unbelievers can only commit physical killing. This statement then has to be referring to the physical acts that unbelievers do and they have been doing them ever since Cain killed Able. Because the wheat or believers are 1 part and the barley or unsaved of the world are 3 parts, it is the world that continues to be able to physically kill the believers or 4th part despite Christ becoming death for us and overcoming it. I think this statement is simply reiterating the fact that physical acts against believers will continue until the end. When the next seal is opened those who were killed are told to rest a little season until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
In
Exodus 19:3-4 the children of Israel are told the Lord bare them on eagles wings when they left the bondage of Egypt. In
Isaiah 40:31 they that wait upon the Lord shall mount up with wings as eagles. The color of the horse is green (Strong’s #5515). In
Jeremiah 17:7-8 the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is shall be as a tree … with green leaves. Because Christ conquers death believers are carried on eagles wings and become green as a trees leaves with life.